Feeling Hands
by Asher Elric
Summary: Edward has made good on his promise to restore Alphonse to his body. Now, all they have to do is figure out what to do next.


_Feeling Hands_

_Pairing - Olivia Armstrong/Roy Mustang. Miles/Riza_

_Rating - PG13/R for gore. _

_Disclaimer - I never have owned, I never will own. I just volunteer my time to get away from the kiddies. _

_Summary - Edward has finally done good on his promise to restore Al's body. All they have to do now is figure what they are going to do next!_

**Chapter 1 - Hospital Surprises**

Edward hated waiting.

He never was good at it. He remembered sitting at the clinic in the next town over from Resembool. His mother had to keep him there, she had brought books for him to look at. He always hated going. Now, he sat at the Central City Hospital surrounded by sterile white walls, nurses in green scrubs while doctors dressed half way in suits with lab coats pulled over and a stethoscope around their necks.

His brother's room was three doors down the hallway, thirty five steps to the door, seven to the bed. It had windows, and Riza had come by with wild flowers. Alphonse even liked the hospital food, but it had been several years since he had eaten. Since he had felt himself breathe, felt his brother's skin. That first day that Alphonse awoke in the hospital he had made Edward bend so that he could peck his brother on the cheek and tell him "Thank you, for everything," it had almost made Edward cry. But he hadn't and it passed with Edward giving Alphonse a huge, happy grin.

The door opened and the Doctor stepped out. Edward stood and walked down the hallway. He was Alphonse's guardian, not technically, but they were siblings and the staff all knew him as the Fullmetal Alchemist. They had treated him plenty of times. They hadn't asked questions when Edward brought his brother in - almost fainting from the lack of energy.

"How is he?" Edward asked.

"He's doing great, another week and he can leave," the Doctor grinned.

"Good, thank you," and Edward went past the Doctor and into the hospital room. Alphonse was reading an Alchemy book Edward had bought on his way to visit the second day of Alphonse's hospital stay. He hadn't been able to read more than five chapters, he had been in a hurry, but theory's were interesting and Edward knew that if he liked it, than so would Alphonse.

"Brother!" Alphonse grinned. He was ten years old again. His short bronze/blond hair shone like deeply controlled fire. He wore white pajama's and as Edward took his place in the empty chair by Alphonse's side, he could smell the alchemy. It wasn't something that Edward would say out loud. But Al's alchemy smell was different from Mustang's, different from Scar's and from other Alchemists. It was a cross between burning blood and green glens. Edward was suddenly in his home town, he and Alphonse were trying to catch fish for their dinner, but failing.

Alphonse just looked at his brother. He liked to look. Edward had grown used to it, for that was all Alphonse could do. Was just look, not feel. But even looking….there was no colour. Alphonse remembered when he woke up in his true body, and saw yellow, white, green, red, and gold. The yellow of the sunlight flooding his room, the white of the walls, the green of the nurse, the red of his brother's coat abandoned on the chair, and then - the gold of his brother's crying eyes.

"Edward, thank you for the book, it's awesome. You'll have to read it soon," Alphonse grinned. Edward blinked and found himself back in the room with his newly restored brother. He nodded.

"Sure, Al," Edward smiled gently and took Al's hand into his flesh one. They hadn't spoken about Edward's Automail, or if they were going to regain his limbs. Alphonse knew that some how Edward didn't want to talk about it.

"Doctor Heathers said one more week and then you can leave. I don't know what's gonna happen now with me or the Military. I don't know…" he trailed off.

"Its okay Brother, you should do what you want to do now," Alphonse replied.

"Yeah, but if I do stay that means traveling and I don't know if I can take you along, not at ten years old even if you do think like a fifteen year old," Edward sat back in his chair and looked off at the side, trying to not bite his lip to let on to Al how odd this all felt.

"I could go back to Resembool and…" Alphonse trailed off.

"This isn't going to be easy, we've always been together, now it seems that we will have to split up," Edward sighed.

"We survived worse," Alphonse replied. Edward gave his brother a fond look. There was a knock on the door but before Edward could get up and tell whoever it was to go away, Major General Roy Mustang walked in with his team behind him, including Major General Olivia Armstrong, Miles and Buccaneer.

"Hi Colonel Mustang!" Alphonse laughed happily.

"You dolt, its Major General now!" Edward corrected in a mock-annoyed tone of voice. Alphonse giggled.

"Alphonse, that is you, when we heard the rumors we weren't exactly sure what to make of it," Roy came to stand before the bed.

"Edward did it," Alphonse said brightly, "He did what no one else could do, isn't that right brother?"

"I had help," Edward snorted. He didn't want to let on how embarrassed he was by Alphonse's gloating, even if it was for him. Rou chuckled at that.

"A lot of help," he corrected Edward.

"So, what do you want now?" Edward asked.

"I'm here to see what you are going to do next," Roy stated.

"We're going to restore Brother's…"

"Alphonse!" Edward's voice shook, "I thought I told you before….it doesn't work like that. It was one or the other," he said through grinding teeth.

"But…that's not how I read it!" Alphonse glared.

"Stop pouting, I don't care, besides, my name wouldn't fit if I didn't have the Automail, stop pouting all ready!" Edward demanded. Alphonse crossed his arms and glared anyway. Edward glared back.

"The thing is, your contract isn't up for another three years," Roy pointed out, trying to get the conversation back where it was. He didn't look at Olivia who now stood beside him. She was giving both boys the evil eye.

"Three years, and then some idiot renews it anyway, I read that clause," Edward flopped back into his chair.

"I say you just let him go now, he's no use to anyone," Olivia said hotly.

"The only reason why I joined in the first place was for Alphonse, there wasn't any other reason," Edward monotoned; and then yawned as if the whole ting bored him.

"Brother, be polite to Miss Olivia!" Alphonse admonished.

"Sure, Al, as polite as I am to anyone I don't like," Edward rolled his eyes.

"I see you still have a big mouth," Olivia raised an eyebrow, but Edward wasn't buying it.

"I'll assume that Breda, Havoc, Falman and Fuery are here to see Alphonse, even Colonel Hawkeye, but you two…" he pointed first from Roy to Olivia, "are here for something else,"

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" Roy smirked.

"We're getting married," Olivia deadpanned.

Edward blinked then gave a wink to Alphonse; "What do you think about that? Hey, they're perfect for each other!" he announced. Alphonse nodded.

"Congratulations…but….you still want something!" Edward returned the evil eye.

"Yes, you are still under aged and we're going to adopt you," Olivia announced. Edward's mouth fell slack and he slithered to the floor. Alphonse bent over the bed to glance at Edward.

"Well, that is some surprise," he said.

"Don't you dare Al, don't you even think about it!" Edward replied from his place on the floor.

"Wait, what about Dad? What if he wants us back?" Alphonse asked suddenly. That made Edward leap up, his fist clench.

"That bastard doesn't deserve us! Al don't be a dope! He left us and we had to watch Mom die! He didn't come back for her funeral, he never cared, never!"

"Maybe he changed his mind, you don't know anything!" Alphonse yelled back.

"Possibly I don't, but I don't care. I've taken care of us for long enough, we don't any parents and we sure as hell don't need that bastard who spurned us and Mom! If he cared, he'd have stayed!"

"Maybe he didn't have a choice!" Alphonse cried. Tears filled his arms and all Edward could do was draw him into a tight, strong hug.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, he made his choice, he has to deal with the consequences," Edward's tone was gentle, not angry or hurt like it had been moments before.

"It doesn't matter, you are our son's now, we'll sign the papers after the ceremony," Olivia turned.

"See you late, darling," she gave Mustang a smirk, who returned it and she, followed by her men, left the hospital room.

"What if Dad wants us back, Edward?"

"He doesn't," Edward said firmly. They weren't wanted by that man, they never had been. He didn't say that to Alphonse though. He wouldn't be that cruel.

"Do you…want me to try and find him? To ask him if he…?" Edward couldn't finish, the hate welled up. Alphonse shook his head against Edward's metal shoulder.

"No, it would hurt you too much," he whispered.

"Nothing I can't handle,"

"Would you do that, for me?"

"It'd be easier than making the Philosopher's Stone without innocent lives," Edward replied. Alphonse nodded.

"Edward, I have work to do. Get back to me when you've made your decision," Roy said.

"Wait, Major General Armstrong said that we didn't," Edward looked up at the dark haired man who was smiling gently at them.

"She meant Alphonse. But you're in the Military, I over looked the small detail of you not having a guardian, I was always called when you were put into the hospital, to fill that spot. I am your superior - so it worked out well. But, at Sixteen the law see's you as an adult, so its your decision. To stay in the military after the three years is up, or take us up on our offer of adoption," Roy explained.

"I'll think bout it," Edward grumped.

"That is all I ask," Roy replied. He left the others to chat with Edward, to get past the situation and talk about inane things. It helped, but, Edward knew that he would have to do some deep thinking.

- - -

A/n - I wanted to do something different. I hope you like it.


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